External structurants, useful for providing rheological benefits to fluid compositions, include those derived from polymers (both natural and synthetic), castor oil, fatty acids, fatty esters, or fatty soap water-insoluble waxes. However, the required performance ingredients often complicate the addition of external structurants known in the art and may even be incompatible with them. For instance, many external structurants are degraded by performance ingredients, such as enzymes. They are also often incompatible with low pH and peroxide bleaches. In addition, external structurants generally require the use of structurant premixes incorporating large amounts of water. Such structurant premixes are less suitable for compact detergents and for unit-dose applications.
Amido-gellants and hydrophobically modified ethoxylated urethane (HEUR) polymeric structurants provide structuring for fluid compositions, while also being compatible with a broad range of potential ingredients, such as bleaches and/or enzymes. They also provide an aesthetically pleasing pour profile without negatively impacting the composition clarity. Moreover, they can be formulated into structurant premixes that are low water, or even entirely water-free.
It is desirable to reduce the amount of such external structurants, while still providing the desired viscosity and level of structuring. Also, amido gellants and HEUR polymers can be difficult to mix into a fluid composition, particularly when high viscosities are desired.
Therefore, a need remains for a means of achieving the desired viscosity, and level of structuring, while using less of the external structurant, and also simplifying the process of mixing the external structurant into the fluid composition.
EP2365050 and EP2365052 disclose amido-gellants which are suitable for use in fluid compositions. EP2365051 and EP2365053 disclose fluid detergent compositions comprising amido gellants. WO 97/40133 discloses compositions comprising HEUR polymers.